Preview — Living Apart
by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Living Apart: How the Government Betrayed a Landmark Civil Rights Law

ProPublica’s groundbreaking investigation into housing segregation, and the federal government’s large-scale failure to uphold the laws meant to prevent it

More than forty years after President Johnson signed the landmark Fair Housing Act into law, residential segregation in America remains unresolved. Designed to help dismantle the nation’s racially divided housing patternProPublica’s groundbreaking investigation into housing segregation, and the federal government’s large-scale failure to uphold the laws meant to prevent it

More than forty years after President Johnson signed the landmark Fair Housing Act into law, residential segregation in America remains unresolved. Designed to help dismantle the nation’s racially divided housing patterns, the act has gone largely ignored by every presidential administration—Democrat and Republican alike—since 1968. In Living Apart, ProPublica investigates this failing, particularly how subsequent leaders, following President Nixon’s lead, have declined to use the billions in grant dollars awarded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as leverage to fight segregation. Their reluctance to enforce a law passed by both houses of Congress and repeatedly upheld by the courts reflects a larger political reality. Again and again, attempts to create integrated neighborhoods have foundered This ebook includes an exclusive afterword by the author, as well as an appendix of original documents dating from the Nixon administration, revealing the internal politics swirling around the Fair Housing Act shortly after its enactment. ...more

Community Reviews

Racial segregation is a systemic problem that is only getting worse in the US. It didn't have to be this way. Back in the 60's Congress passed Fair Housing legislation which was championed by George Romney, then HUD Secretary under Nixon. He was summarily dismissed and since then every attempt to use the government to encourage integrated housing has stumbled. A fascinating read and well worth the $1.49 e-book.

While short, this is by no means in-exhaustive research. Hannah-Jones does a remarkable job digging into the strange world of Fair Housing and HUD. An essential read for anyone who gives a damn when it comes to housing issues (i.e. everyone). Shoutout to George Romney for (surprisingly) attempting to fight the good fight.